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A week of "mayhem-as-usual" at Hillside Manor kicks off with the arrival of a mysterious "Mr. Smith" and his floozie "Mrs." from New York City--and it accelerates into chaos when Mr. Smith himself kicks off, a victim of the foulest of plays. Hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn is shocked to learn that her now-defunct roomer was actually "Legs" Benedict--hit man for the notorious Ronzini Family--and that virtually every other guests at her B&B had good reason to want Legs broken. Judith's policeman-hubby Joe is understandably peeved that homicide happened (again!) under his own roof. And when the FBI moves in--more interested in nabbing a Nazi nutcase than a malicious mobster murderer--the local cops clear out, leaving Judith, Joe and irrepressible cousin Renie to find out who whacked the wiseguy before the hits keep coming.

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About the Author

Seattle native Mary Daheim began telling stories with pictures when she was four. Since she could neither read nor write, and her artistic talent was questionable, her narratives were sometimes hard to follow. By second grade, she had learned to string together both subjects and predicates, and hasn't stopped writing since. A former newspaper reporter and public relations consultant, Daheims first of seven historical romances was published in 1983. In addition to Avon Books' Bed-and-Breakfast series featuring Judith McMonigle Flynn, Daheim also pens the Alpine mysteries for Ballantine. She is married to David Daheim, a retired college instructor, and has three daughters -- Barbara, Katherine and Magdalen.

Most helpful customer reviews

Judith Flynn runs Hillside Manor, a bed and breakfast place located in the Pacific Northwest. She realizes that, with one exception, her guests all telephonically booked a room for two nights within a few hours of one other. After two abrupt cancelations, her guests begin to arrive. Minerva Schwartz accompanied by her adult son Barney come first. Two preschool teachers, Sandy Williams and Pam Perl, follow. Third to arrive is newlyweds Pete and Marie Santori. Roland du Turque arrives next. Finally, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith reach the bed and breakfast. Not long after that, Mal and Bea Malone asks where they can find a room. Judith rents them a vacancy.However, things turn ugly and weird when John is found murdered. The deceased turns out to actually be Legs Benedict, a mob hitman. His so-called wife has disappeared. Though the other guests have reasons to kill Legs, the police arrest Barney Schwartz, another person with mob ties. However, Judith wonders if he really is the killer. Even the Mafia involvement cannot stop Judith from sleuthing.LEGS BENEDICT is the sixth novel in this highly regarded cozy that constantly attains top-ten status on several bestseller lists such as the Mystery Scene and the Armchair Detective. The current novel retains the amusing interplay between Judith, her spouse Joe, her cousin Renie, and even Renie's never appearing husband. The motives of the support cast and their own interrelationships enhance an entertaining who-done-it. Mary Daheim should return to the bestseller list with a novel that will have readers seeking the previous five Bed and Breakfast books.

This is one book in a series of bed-and-breakfast mysteries set in Seattle, Washington. Anyone familiar with the city can tell that the author, Mary Daheim, has changed the place names, but retained the feel of the city in accurate descriptions. Heraldsgate Hill is really Queen Anne Hill. Norway General Hospital is really Swedish Hospital. Papaya Pete's restaurant is really Trader Vics. Donner and Blitzen department store is really the now defunct Frederick and Nelsons. Nordquist is Nordstroms. The Belle Epoch is The Bon Marche, now known just as The Bon. Moonbeams coffee house is really Starbucks, and so on. The descriptions are so accurately and fondly drawn that the reader experiences a warm sense of being there, especially if one has actually lived in Seattle at one time. The relationships of the characters are sometimes feisty but honest and often very funny. I recommend this whole series.

Judith Flynn, proprietor of Hillside Manor Bed and Breakfast thinks that it's business as usual as her guests arrive for the weekend. It seems like a typical group with a single man, a newly-married couple, a mother and son, a pair of nursery school teachers, and a surly couple from Chicago. However, there is soon a dead body at the B & B and it becomes apparent that no one is who he says he is. As usual Judith claims to have instinctive powers of observation and deduction, but this case has even Judith stumped. A complicated web of interrelationships is eventually revealed, but this just makes it more difficult to solve the crime. Another feature of this addition to the series is the appearance of Judith's first grandson, Mike and Kristen's baby. Even this event is not an undiluted joy when Judith finds out the baby's name. If you're a "cozy" fan, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Does it matter who dun what to whom? A good cozy is a social comedy, where the plot devices move us into an engaging world. Judith Grover McMonigle Flynn's world encompasses a loving but often bemused husband, her reliable sidekick Cousin Renie, an assortment of weird and irascible relatives, and one of the meanest fluffballs to grace the name cat. Legs Benedict brings in a new assortment of odd personalities; bed and breakfast guests fun to watch as they ignore the mints and go for the blood and guts. Still, the bottom line is a tribute to families and friends--which sounds sentimental, though Daheim is rarely that. She is funny.

I have to be honest this book is horrible! I did somehow manage to finish it though. There are constantly new characters being introduced and they serve no real function to the story. The ending is horrible too!There is noway you could possibly solve this yourself because she introduces new evidence on the last few pages. Nothing really motivated me to turn the page and keep going. Takes forever to finish because it is so stupid! Don't waste your time or money unless you want to use it for a bonfire!

In what was once a humorous and entertaining series, I'm finding that I have to force myself to finish these B&B books.The characters are annoying, always complaining or making sarcastic comments, and the depiction of Judith's mother is unflattering and insulting to elderly people. This particular plot was leading in one direction throughout, and the ending was so completely anticlimactic and unrelated to the theme, it was unbelievable. Maybe it's time to put this series to rest.

First of all, it's obvious that the title is meant to be clever or funny; it only succeeds in insulting the reader's intelligence, especially after coming to the solution of the mystery. After being led one way throughout the book, the ending is so ridiculous, you wonder why the original theme was even presented; there's no connection. This was a very disappointing entry in an otherwise entertaining series.